ICE STYLE.....2014 U.S. Prudential Figure Skating Championships Costumes Recap: Ladies & Pairs Free Program Costumes

Golden Girl: Gracie Gold with coaches Scott Brown and Frank Carroll--2014 U.S. Prudential Figure Skating Championships, TD Garden Boston Massachusetts 

In Part Three of my Costumes Recap of  the 2014 U.S. Prudential Figure Skating Championships, it's time to discuss the Costume Highlights of the LADIES and PAIRS Free Skate/Long Program. The all-important ladies competition finished and the favorite to win gold--Ashley Wager--came in fourth. Luckily for Ashley, winning a medal at the National Championships does not determine if you will be chosen for the Olympic Team heading to Sochi next month. And  Just today, it was announced that 4th place Ashley Wagner was given a spot to go to the Olympics, therefore leaving actual third place medalist and 2010 Olympian Mirai Nagasu out. She, sadly, will not not be skating at the Olympics.

 Don't Worry, I'm Going: (left to right) Mirai Nagasu and Ashley Wagner, during the Medals Ceremony--2014 U.S. Prudential Figure Skating Championships TD Garden Boston Massachusetts

 Mirai Nagasu--Medals Ceremony--2014 U.S. Prudential Figure Skating Championships TD Garden Boston Massachusetts

Time for the Costumes:

Mirai Nagasu Free Skate: Mirai skated her FS to Music from James Bond by various artists, and I don't know why this didn't come to my Costume Commentin' attention before but...her costume is so similar to Ashley Wagner's Short Program costume (photo, right). It's black with sheer panels and features silver encrusted sequins at the torso and neckline mimicking a necklace. It is pretty, elegant and somewhat mysterious--and right for the "James Bond Girl" theme of her skate.

Ashley Wagner Free Skate: Speaking of Ashley, this is the costume she wore for her Free Skate to Music from Romeo and Juliet by Sergei Prokofiev. The costume is designed by Jan Longmire. I've discussed this costume before and you can read my thoughts HERE.

Ashley Cain, Free Skate: Ashley skated her FS to "Ave Maria" by William Joseph wearing this beautiful costume designed by Denyse Frey and Darlene Cain. The white costume featured asymmetrical lines at the torso with silver crystals throughout, a sheer upper chest and pointed neckline and sleeve hem. She looked very much like an "Ice Princess", and in a good costume-way.

 

Barbie Long Free Skate: I actually really liked this costume that Barbie wore for her FS to "Warsaw Concerto" by Richard Addinsell. The costume was designed by Marilyn Mathiney and Susan Liss and incidentally, 5-time U.S, champion and Olympic silver medalist Tanith Belbin (and a Twitter Buddy of mine!) is her choreographer.  

I liked this silver/gray costume featuring A WHOLE LOT OF silver crystals. The design is very "Retro" and and reminded me very much of Nancy Kerrigan's Lillehammer Olympic Free Skate Costume....

Christina Gao, Free Skate: Christina skated her FS to Music from the Angels and Demons soundtrack by Hans Zimmer and Joshua Bell. Her costume was designed by Yumi Barnett-Nakamura. I thought the torso, which featured a sheer illusion backdrop with solid ivory with silver crystal panels, was quite unique and fab.

Hannah Miller, Free Skate: Hannah skated her FS to "Primavera" by Ludovico Einaudi. Her costume was designed by Elena Pollack. While I liked the color and juxtaposition of the nude illusion with solid with sequins...it's A LOT. The costume does pay homage to the music but it looks a bit sophomoric in its overall design and execution.

Polina Edmunds, Free Skate: Polina wore this ivory costume for her Free Skate to "Solveig's Song" and "Morning" from Peer Gynt by Edvard Grieg. The costume was designed by Lilya Dukler and I thought it was modern, chic and correct, for Polina and that music.

Gracie Gold, Free Skate: Gold Medalist Gracie Gold skated her FS to Music from Sleeping Beauty by Tchaikovsky. Her costume was designed by Gale Johnson and Denise Gold. I really liked this lilac colored costume which featured long sleeves, and uneven "skirt" and silver crystal neck, bust and  sleeve accents. If I had any criticism, it would be...

A TOO WIDE collar band. I just feel that it should have been 1/2"-3/4" thinner.Other than that: good (Costume) job. By the way, this is a COSTUME CHANGE and below, is what she wore...

At the NHK Trophy 2013, which I deemed one of the BEST Figure Skating Costumes of 2013.I am not quite sure why they decided to change the costume as I prefer the original design.



Pairs Free Skate Costume Highlights:

Caydee Denney and John Coughlin, Free Skate: Denney and Coughlin skated their Free Skate to Selections from The Phantom of the Opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Their costumes were right on with the Musical. He looked sharp in his very fitted costume. Caydee--who can look two seconds away from a "Toddlers & Tiaras" grown-up cast member--looked good in her ivory sequined lace and chiffon number.

Gretchen Donlan and Andrew Speroff, Free Skate: Donlan and Speroff wore these costumes for their FS to "Pas de Deux" from The Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky.  The costumes were designed by Yumi Barnett-Nakamura and I thought they were VERY "The Nutcracker". I just wish that there was another way of designing a more modern/directional looking interpretation.

Felicia Zhang and Nathan Bartholomay, Free Skate: Zhang and Bartholomay skated their FS to Music from Les Miserables by Claude-Michel Schonberg. The costumes designed by Dawn Imperatore and James Peterson. These costumes were very "Les Miserables" and unless you were in a COMA you would obviously recognize that. I liked his more than hers. Nathan looked hot, musical-appropriate while Felicia looked as if it was a (costume) after-thought.

Marissa Castelli and Simon Shnapir, Free Skate: Castelli and Shnapir skated their FS to Music from the Skyfall soundtrack by various artists. Part of me wanted Simon to actually look like James Bond--a Tom Ford-looking fitted suit, etc. But I get that it might be rather restricting when it comes to the skating. So, what costume designers Yumi Nakamura and Paul Ginandes came up with instead seems like a good idea. Marissa's black lace applique costume--by the way--does give a nod to the "Bond Girls" that one may see at a casino scene. Overall, this is a 7.5 out of 10 in my book.



***Next Up: The Free Skate/Free Dance Costume Highlights/Recap of the MEN and ICE DANCE of the 2014 U.S. Figure Skating Championships

ICE STYLE.....2014 Prudential U.S. Figure Skating Championships Costume Recap, Men and Ice Dance Short Program!

Jeremy Abbott practicing at the TD Garden Arena, 2014 Prudential U.S. Figure Skating Championships Boston Massachusetts

Continuing with my Costume Recap Highlights of the costumes from the 2014 Prudential U.S. Figure Skating Championships happening right now in Boston...I talked about the LADIES and PAIRS Short Program Costumes HERE and now it's time to discuss the Men and Ice Dance Short Program/Short Dance Costumes...

Richard Dornbush Short Program: For Richard's SP to The Sons of Italy by Henry Mancini, he wore a wine-colored stretch velvet  fitted jacket with gold buttons, a ruffled shirt and skin-tight black pants. I like that the pants have the pin-tuck down the front of the leg and that there's a nod to a Shakespeare-era costume.

Scott Dyer, Short Program: I couldn't find what music Scott skated to--or a YouTube video showing it (so if anyone knows, I'd be most grateful to include it in here!). However, I still wanted to comment on this costume; it was very "Blades of Glory" old-school 80s Figure Skater...and I'm not sure if that's a good thing. From the revere collar, the blouson sleeves to the coloring and crystals...it was veering on a hot mess.

Brandon Mroz, Short Program: Another skater whom I couldn't find what music he skated to for his SP or a YouTube video showing it...but once again, I wanted to discuss this costume. It was a multicolored printed shirt--tie-dye/Disco-esque. Plus black pants and a "Ross Dress For Less"-like belt. Not a fan. This is only acceptable if he skated to "KC and the Sunshine Band". And I doubt he did.

Jason Brown, Short Program: Jason skated his SP to "The Question of U" by Prince. His costume--designed by Elena Pollack--featured a purple velvet vest, sheer blouse with ruffled cuffs and silver studded black pants. the whole ensemble is VERY prince...and a bit tacky-licious. But then again, so is Prince. Overall it suited the program, music and personality of Jason.

Jeremy Abbott, Short Program: Jeremy skated his SP to "Lilies of the Valley" from the Pina sountrack by Jun Miyake. His costume--designed by Elise Fife--featured a deep plum shirt with sequin accents and black pants. I like it but I'm not jumping up and down for it. Jeremy is not known to "bring it" when it comes to costumes and part of me wishes he would but, the fact that there's even sequins on his shirt, is a big jump for him. He wore this same costume for NHK 2013 in November for his Short Program which is when he debuted it. Before, he wore this:

At Skate Canada 2013 in October--which one do we like better?

Ice Dance Short Program Costume Highlights:

Meryl Davis and Charlie White, Short Dance: I love these costumes that Davis and White wear for their Short Dance to My Fair Lady by Frederic Loewe. I've discussed them already HERE.

Alexandra Aldridge and Daniel Eaton, Short Dance: For their SD to Quickstep: Man with the Hex; Foxtrot: The Business of Love (from "The Mask" soundtrack); Swing: Hey Pachucco (from "The Mask" soundtrack), Aldridge and Eaton wore these costumes above. I liked her sexy black halter dress and how the sequins were concentrated at the shoulder/neck. I especially liked his high-waisted pinstripe pants and suspenders. The costumes were designed by Tatiana Noll, Lynn Martin, Massimo Scali, Luanne Williams.

Pauline Bynum and Jason Deveikis Short Dance: I couldn't find what Bynum and Deveikis skated to for their SD (or a YouTube video of it) but I LOVED these costumes! Her black and white dress, especially, was GORG! It looked like a Dior Haute Couture collection dress. And he looked dapper and very elegant.

Lynn Kriengkrairut and Logan Giulietti-Schmitt, Short Dance: Kriengkrairut and Giulietti-Schmitt (say that three times!) skated to "That Man" by Caro Emerald, "Jolie Coquine" by Caravan Palace and I thought these costumes were fun and sassy. I like the fringed detail on her silver costume and normally I wouldn't endorse a headband but here, it was right. This is an example of Good Kooky Ice Dance costumes. The costumes, by the way, were designed by Valentina Barsukova, Lynn Kriengkrairut.

Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani, Short Dance: The Shibutani's skated their SD to a Michael Bublé medley. Their costumes were elegant and very "Dace Hall" in style. I liked her deep purple sequined and chiffon dress and Alex looked sharp. I just wish he wore the black bow tie and not looked as if the dance hall night club was closing down already.

Madison Chock and Evan Bates, Short Dance: Chock and Bates skated their SD to "Hollywood" by Puppini Sisters, "There's No Business Like Show Business" by Irving Berlin. I LOVE these costumes, so much so, that they ended up in my "Best Figure Skating Costumes of 2013" blog HERE. The costumes were designed by Madison Chock and were PERFECTION. Now, if you notice, Evan's gold cummerbund and pocket scarf are a new addition...

Here (in above pic) is Evan at the 2013 Rostelecom Cup/Cup of Russia in November, in their Short Dance--without the gold cummerbund and pocket hankie.

***UP NEXT: Long/Free Program Costume Recap/Highlights from the 2014 Prudential U.S. Figure Skating Championships